Road-working apparatus



Dec. 4 {1923.

J. J. MARTIN ROAD WORKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4. 1922 J J MARTIN ROAD WORKING APPARATUS Dec. 4 1923.

Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE;

JOHN J. MARTIN, OF HILL CITY, BIINNESOTA.

ROAD-VIQRKING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 4, 1922. Serial No. 526,922.

T all whom it may concern: structure so tha the planer or grader struc- Be it known that 1, JOHN J. MARTIN, a ture may have movement independently of citizen of the United States, residing at Hill the portable structure. City, in the county of Aitkin and State of The invention consists in the details of 6 Minnesota, have invented certain new and construction and in the combination and aruseful Improvements in Road-lVorking rangement of the several parts of im- Apparatus, of which the following is a speciproved road working apparatus whereby fication, reference being had to the accomcertain important advantages are attained panying drawings. and the device rendered simpler, less expen- 10 This invention relates to certain improvesive and otherwise more convenient and adments in road working apparatus, and it is vantageous for use, as will be hereinafter an object of the invention to provide a demore fully set forth. vice of this general character embodying The novel features of my invention will novel and improved means whereby the hereinafter be definitely claimed.

15 same may be employed to advantage in the In order that mv invention may be the treating of a roadway and which is of such better understood, 1 will now proceed to dea character to also operate as a planer or scribe the same with reference to the accomgrader. panying drawings, wherein:

Another object of the invention is to pro- Figure l is a view in top plan illustrating vide a novel and improved device of this a ground working apparatus constructed in general character comprising a portable accordance-with an embodiment of my insupporting structure and a plurality of vention; ground working members carried thereby, Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the said ground working members being capable apparatus as herein disclosed;

25 of adjustment independently of the sup- Figure- 3 is a fragmentary view partly in porting structure. elevation and partly in section illustrating An additional object of the invention is to the means for imparting movement to one provide a device of this general character side of the ground working structure in a comprising a portable structure provided vertical direction; i

30 with ground working elements, together Figure & is a fragmentary view partly in with means whereby the major portion of elevation and partly in section illustrating the draft is imposed upon the ground worle in detail a 'means for moving the ground ing elements whereby the efliciency of said working structure substantially bodily in a elements is materially increased. vertical direction; and

5 It is also an object of the invention to Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in end eleprovide a novel and improved device of this vation of one of the ground working elegeneral character employingaground worlments and illustrating in detail a means ing element having a thin blade for direct for securing a working blade in applied posiengagement with the surface to be worked tion.

40 and which blade is of such a character to As disclosed in the accompanying drawbe reversed edge for edge and end for end ings, A denotes an arched axle having whereby the life of said blade may be mamounted on the spindles 1 thereof the wheels terially prolonged. l/V, said axle A and wheels vV providinga l urtherniore, it is an object of the invenportable structure. Suitably secured to the tion to provide a novel and improved device central portion of the arched axle A and of this general character embodying a portextending forwardly therefrom is a pole P. able structure and a drag or planer struc- The rear portion of the pole P has mounted ture flexibly connected with the portable thereon a seat structure S. This seat structure S is adjustable toward or from the axle A in order to effect a balance of the weight of the pole P.

The ground working structure comprisesthe elongated side members or beams 2 arranged substantially in parallelism and positioned outwardly of the wheels W, said members or beams 2 also extending forwardly and rearwardly of said wheels. The members or beams 2 overlie and are pivotally engaged, as at 3, with the transversely disposed members l, each having a relatively broad flat forward face. The upper arginal portion of each of the members 4: has associated therewith a beam 5, said beam 5 being of a length coextensive to the length of the member 4-.

As herein disclosed, the IDGll'lbQlS l are three in number, one of said members being positioned forwardly of the axle A and the wheels Vi" carried thereby, a second member l being positioned rearwardlv of said port able structure, and the third member underlying the central portion of the axle A and terminating forwardly and rearwardly thereof. The members l are substantially in parallelism and disposed on a predetermined incline to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus and particularly as defined by the pole P.

Pivotally engaged, as at G, with the forward beam 5 to one side of its longitudinal center is a rearwardly directed brace beam 7 and which is provided at its inner or opposite portion with the longitudinally spaced openings 8 whereby the same may be adjustably connected with the intermediate beam 5. The intermediate beam 5 adjacent an end thereof also has pivotz-tlly engaged therewith. as at 9, a rearwardly directed brace member 10. This member 10 also has a series of longitudinally spaced openings 11 whereby it may be adjustably connected with the rear beam 5. By providing the members 7 and 10 with means whereby the same may be adjustably connected to certain of the beams 5, it will at once be understood that the angle of the beams 5 and the associated members a may be readily varied in accordance with the requirements of practice.

The axle A to one side of its center is provided with a rock arm 12 with which is operatively engaged an upstanding operating lever 14. Connecting the rock arm 12 and the central or intermediate beam 5 to one side of its longitudinal center is a flexible member or chain 15.

Interposed between the pole P and the forward beam 5 is a flexible member or chain 16, said member or chain being herein disclosed as connected at 6 with the beam 5 and at 17 with the pole P. Also connected with the pole P at 17 is a second flexible member or chain 18, said flexible member or chain 18 being secured, as at l9,to the side beam 2 remote from the connection (5. The members or chains 16 and 18 provide a flexible support for the forward portion of the ground working structure.

2O denotes a flexible member or chain securedto one end portion of the axle A and extending over and secured to the-side beam 7 2 remote therefrom and preferably at the intermediate connection 3. Extending from the opposite side portion of the axle A is a flexible member or chain 21 which is secured to the rear beam 5 and at the end portion thereof remote from the connection 3 with which the member or chain 20 is engaged. These members or chains 20 and 21 serve to hold the ground working structure against undue lateral movement with respect to the portable structure.

Connecting the pole P and the arch of the axle A are the brace members 22. Extending outwardly and inwardly from an end portion of the axle structure A is an arm 23. Rotatably disposed through the outer extremity of the arm 23 is an elongated shank 24 provided at its upper end portion with an operating crank 25. Threaded upon the shank 24 is a nut or block 26 to which is secured the flexible members or chains 27. The members or chains 27 are also secured to the adjacent side beam 2 so that, upon rotation of the shank 24C in one direction, the block or nut 6 will be caused to move upwardly whereby the road working structure may be inclined in a direction transversely of its travel and in accordance with the slope which it may be desired to produce.

lnterposed between the brace members 22 and the opposite end portion of the axle A are the additional brace or strengthening members 28.

Partially overlying the forward face of each of the members 4 is an elongated scraping blade 29 preferably of thin metal and which, when in applied position, has its lower portion extending below the lower edge of the associated member l. The blade 29 is or" a length substantially coextensive in length with the member 4 to which it is applied and may be readily reversed edge for edge and end for end whereby the life of said blade may be materially prolonged.

The blade 29, as herein disclosed, is maintained in applied position by the bolts 30 extending through the blade 29 and the member l and by the clips or hook members 31 overlying the upper marginal portions of the blade 29. Each of the clips or hook members 31 is provided at the end of an elongated shank which is disposed through the member l and the associated beam 5 and coacting with said shank 32 and the rear face of the beam 5 is a clamp ing nut 33.

Secured to and depending from the pole P is a block 34. To the under face of the block 34 is operatively engaged a whiffletree 35, to the opposite end portions of which are engaged the singletrees 36. The whifiletree 35 issecured to the block 34 by the bolt 37 or the like whereby'said whiffletree is capable of swinging movement. Also'secured to the block 34 by the bolt 37 is a draft bar 38, which bar 38 has its opposite end portion engaged with the forward beam 5 to one side of the longitudinal center of said beam. The connection between the bar 38 and the forward beam 5 is adjustable lengthwise of the beam and which adjustment is afforded by the longitudinally spaced openings 39 produced in said beam 5.

By. means of the block 34 and the draft .bar 38, the pull is direct upon the ground working structure and which is of material advantage and benefit in an apparatus of this type. By adjusting the connection of the draft bar 38 longitudinally of its associated beam 5, the incline or slant of the members 4 may be regulated or adjusted and which may also be accomplished by adjusting the connection of the beams 7 and 10. The adjustment of the draft bar 38, however, may be employed to cause the ends of the members 4 and the blades 29 carried thereby to extend one beyond the other so as to avoid, during a working operation, the formation of one large ridge.

The apparatus as herein disclosed embodies a machine of light design capable of being hauled easily by two horses and which embodies the combination of a scraper, road drag and leveler. It is to be noted that the portable structure as comprised in the axle A and the wheels WV and the parts directly associated therewith does not generally support the ground working structure except partially supporting the same when working in soft ground or particularly in rough ground and that the portable structure at no time adds its weight to the ground working tructure. An essential purpose of the por able structure is to prevent side motion of the ground working structure and which ob ject obtained through the instrumentality of the cross chains 20 and 21. These chains however permit free action of the ground working structure.

Another particular feature of advantage in the present invention resides in the use of the three blades 29 and the structure associated therewith as this arrangement pers units the apparatus or machine to operate as a leveler. With the use of only two blades it will be readily seen that the rear or hind blade will follow the front blade into a depression and make the roadway what is know as wavy. WVith the use of the three blades spaced apart as herein disclosed, when the apparatus or machine reaches a depression, the first blade 4 is prevented from dropping into the depression because of the second blade being on higher ground. The forward blade will drop the dirt in the depression and under general conditions will reach the higher ground beyond the depression in time to prevent the second or intermediate blade4 from entering the depression. The weight of the ground working structure on the first and last blades 4 will cause the last blade to dig deep before reaching the depression and its load will be deposited due to the rising position of the second blade. The three blade feature, as demonstrated in actual practice, reduces to a minimum the uneveness in roadways by filling depressions and preventing the undulations usually found in roads dragged by the ordinary one or two blade machines or apparatus.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a road working apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be undestood as limiting myself to the precise arrangementand formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A road working machine comprising a supporting structure including an axle carrying ground engaging wheels and secured to a draft tongue, and a ground engaging member formed as a frame includ-" ing spaced parallel side bars arranged outwardly of said wheels, obliquely arranged bars connected with said side bars, blades carried by said obliquely arranged bars, braces connecting the successive oblique bars, a draft link pivotally connected with the tongue and with the forwardmost oblique bar, a plurality of flexible members secured at different points on the ground engaging member and connected with the tongue for preventing lateral displacement of the ground engaging member with the supporting structure, and means on the axle for raising or lowering either side of the ground engaging member.

2. A road working machine comprising a supporting structure including an axle carrying ground engaging wheels and secured to a draft tongue, and a ground engaging member formed as a frame including spaced parallel side bars arranged outwardly of said wheels, obliquely arranged bars connected with said side bars, blades carried by said obliquely arranged bars, braces connecting the successive oblique &

bars, a draft link pivotally connected With the tongue and with the forwardmost oblique bar, a plurality of flexible members secured at different points on the ground engaging member and connected with the tongue for preventing lateral displacement of the ground engaging member with the supporting structure, and means on the axle for raising or lowering either side of the ground engaging member, the means at one side including an angular bracket rising from the axle, a threaded rod passing through said bracket and equipped With a handle, and a nut flexibly connected With one side bar and engaged upon said rod.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN J. MARTIN. 

